CHICAGO — Rising meat costs have prompted Chicago-based research firm Technomic to release an update on its “Center of the Plate: Beef & Pork Consumer Trend Report.”
“Rising prices for beef — and to a lesser degree, pork — will have direct implications for operators and suppliers through 2013,” said Darren Tristano, VP, Technomic.
“It’s vital for suppliers and operators to work together in keeping meat products cost-effective. Opportunities are emerging to explore different cuts of meat and develop innovative applications that cross-utilize beef and pork across the menu.”
The new information shows that, when presented with a choice of protein, consumers will order the item with beef or steak about one out of three times (33 per cent), items with chicken about 29 per cent of the time, items with fish about 10 per cent of the time, other seafood 12 per cent of the time and pork nine per cent of the time. In addition, consumers order meat, such as beef and pork in four out of every five meal occasions, with the older population ordering more meat items. About three out of five consumers say they enjoy pork served with sweet/honey (65 per cent), hickory (64 per cent) and smoky barbecue sauces, glazes and marinades (58 per cent). Additionally, consumer preferences for sweet, tangy and chipotle-flavoured barbecue sauces are on the rise.
For more on this trend report update, view Technomic’s Infographic (PDF).
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